


Saving Grace (Bucky Barnes AU)

by revengingbarnes



Series: Saving Grace (Bucky Barnes AU) [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Heaven, Angel & Demon Interactions, Angel Wings, Angel/Demon Sex, Angst, Demon Bucky Barnes, Demons, F/M, First Time, Fluff, NSFW, PTSD, Smut, Vaginal Sex, Virgin sex, angel grace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 02:12:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16904118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/revengingbarnes/pseuds/revengingbarnes
Summary: For millions of years, Y/N has served heaven with all she has. So when the slightest mistake is all it takes to cast her out, she feels her soul shatter completely.Bucky has never stuck around a lot in hell. He prefers Earth to be his main area of operation. Spreading chaos among the puny human minds is his idea of fun. And he enjoys every second of it.What happens when he finds an angel fallen from grace, unaware of herself, broken to pieces, and desperate to go back home?“What would you feel like?” she breathed. “If everything you’d believed yourself to be was taken away from you?”He didn’t reply. Simply because he didn’t know how to.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> And so it starts! I’m so excited for this series and i hope y’all get as hyped as i am!

The fall was like a dream.

The wind was rushing in your ears, so loud that it was all you could hear. It was cold, pricking your skin like needles made of ice. As you spiraled down, you felt something you had never felt before. The need to breathe.

It was acute and intense, making your chest feel tight and ready to burst. Your mouth fell open to try and take air in, but the wind was moving too fast, you were falling too quickly.

And then you crashed.

It wasn’t the fall that really hurt you, nor was it the hard ground coming in contact with your body. You were, after all, not a normal human being, so of course it didn’t hurt.

But that didn’t mean you didn’t feel the searing, scalding hot pain on your back. You lay in the mud and grass, dust flying about due to the crash. And all you could feel was the tendrils of pain shooting across your back and up your spine. You wished you could curl up into a ball, but your limbs felt like they weighed a hundred pounds. So you lay there, taking in big gulps of air, eyes trained on the bright blue sky. The sky you had just fallen from.

You’d never looked at it from below.

With great struggle, and wincing against the pain, you moved your arm, hand tangling in the feathers that had once been soft as clouds. You turned your head to look at the white stretching on either side of your body, tainted brown with mud, feathers torn and in disarray. You pulled your fingers back enough to see blood on them, red against the delicate white feathers. You didn’t move your wings, you couldn’t. It hurt too much. Your eyes trailed back up to the sky, feeling another emotion now move through you. An emotion you’d never felt before.

Sadness.

Tears were coming thick and strong, escaping from the corners of your eyes and moving down to merge with your hairline. Your face scrunched as the pain in your back and wings only intensified, but your eyes remained trained up to the vast blue stretch of the sky, wondering if anyone was watching. If your brothers and sisters were looking at what tragedy had fallen upon you. If they would do anything to help you.

You knew they wouldn’t.

Your body heaved with sobs, another first for you. You were unfamiliar with crying, sobbing, pain, and basically any other emotion. As an angel, you had jobs to do, missions to accomplish. Emotions were a luxury your race wasn’t allowed to have. Emotions were for humans. Not for your kind.

You seemed to finally feel a small ounce of strength enter your tired limbs, and the only thing you did was turn to your side, curling up into a ball against the feathers that once cushioned you so softly, but now hung broken and coarse against your bare skin. You brought your other wing up to cover your naked body, shielding it against the cold of the surrounding air that was now sending shivers up your body. For millions of years and to this day, you had never felt cold.

You knew this was only the beginning, and there was so much more you were going to go through that you has never gone through before. This was the beginning of the need of your life. You closed your eyes as your wing covered you from the bright sky outside.

And then you just cried.

……………………

The music in the air was loud. The girl at the bar was sexy. And she was looking right at him.

Bucky wrapped a hand around the cool glass, lifting it up to meet his lips as he took a sip. The alcohol burned his throat. Despite doing nothing to intoxicate him, whiskey was still one of Bucky’s favorite things made by humans. He eyed the girl up and down, stare raking over her body. He knew she was aware that he was watching her. He could see it in the way she sat up straighter, pushed her chest out. He could see it in the little glances she threw his way. Glances that, perhaps, a normal human wouldn’t notice. But Bucky was no human.

That’s another thing Bucky loved about being on Earth. Sex. The demons back in Hell didn’t care much for it. They were too busy kissing Lucifer’s ass all the time and trying to prove to him that they were his most loyal subjects. They were always trying to get higher up in the ranks. And for what? Bucky never understood. Why would they want to work all day, every day, when they could just cause disruption, drink alcohol, fuck chicks and then repeat it all over again?

Bucky decided he had waited enough. It was time to make a move on his carefully picked target. Patience wasn’t a quality he had. Not that he had any good qualities.

The girl was like putty in his hands the minute he walked over. Getting her in bed was easy. Pleasuring her was even easier. He didn’t even have to try. Perks of being a demon, he assumed. Amazing sex for the person he was with.

He walked out the way he always did. Leaving her in a post orgasmic bliss unlike any she had ever experienced. Unlike any she would ever experience from that point on. All he had left her with was a broken marriage and a fiance that he had informed of her whereabouts, and the fact that a family was falling apart felt better than the actual sex.

This was Bucky’s life. Had been for a few years when he had first figured out how to leave Hell and ascend to the Earth. And he enjoyed every second of it. He knew he wasn’t going to stop any time soon. He was here to raise hell on Earth. And boy, was he going to enjoy every minute of it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader loses her grace, loses everything she has ever known, and is cast down to Earth. Bucky is the demon who loves causing chaos in little human minds. What does he do when he happens upon a broken angel?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This interpretation of demons and angels is entirely my construction. It’s supposed to be inaccurate so pls don’t get offended.

Bucky grinned when the ball was pocketed, hearing his opponent groan. He moved around the table, thinking of which ball he could target next. He increased his grip on the cue stick when he decided what his next move would be, leaning over the pool table.

He stopped after pocketing two more balls. He didn’t want anyone to get suspicious. He doubted that anyone here was smart enough or sober enough to figure out he wasn’t exactly normal, but he couldn’t risk it.

He was enjoying the scowl on his opponent’s face, a huge, burly man who had been boasting about him being the best at pool when Bucky had decided he wanted to crush his ego. And boy, was he loving the reaction he was getting out of the man so far.

He watched the man take his turn, pocketing one ball and missing by a few inches on the next one. He swore under his breath, moving out of the way. Bucky sauntered back up to the table, loving the little crowd that had gathered to see the match. The pub was playing music at a low volume, the space mostly dim except the light over the table where he was. It was filled with truck drivers and the like, people just passing through. Like Bucky.

He was just about to lean over the table again when he heard the door of the pub swing open, and every muscle in his body tense up.

He stood up straight, body rigid, turning his head towards the door. The minute he caught sight of what had made his body react, his eyes turned black.

An angel.

He watched the girl move through the room towards the bar. She walked slowly, almost hunched in on herself, but there was no mistaking her aura. The soft tendrils of power surging through her body and commanding the room. Bucky’s eyebrows furrowed, eyes still pitch black.

Bucky had had his fair share of encounters with angels. Samandriel, Ezekiel, and many others who he hadn’t bothered learning the names of. He knew what an angel’s presence felt like. And this was definitely an angel.

But there was something strange about this angel. Something almost…. weak.

As much as her influence in the room had caught his attention, she didn’t demand it as much as any other angel would. A closer look at her, and Bucky noticed immediately that her face wasn’t as stoic and focused as any other angel’s would have been. She seemed… meek. Scared. Upset.

But she was an angel.

Bucky wondered why she was there. Had she followed him? Had he done something new to piss off the folks up in Heaven? Was she here to smite him?

Bucky couldn’t be sure, all he knew was that he had to get out of there.

“Hey!” He blinked at the sound, eyes returning to normal. His opponent was scowling at him, obviously pissed.

“Are you gonna take a shot or not?”

Bucky rolled his eyes, placing his cue stick on the pool table. “Go crazy.” He muttered, turning to saunter away from the table and the crowd.

His eyes never left the angel where she sat at the bar. His eyes followed every move of her body, growing more and more confused when she gave no reaction to even acknowledge his existence, let alone follow him. He should’ve seen the differences. She should have tensed the same way he had. But she seemed to be completely unfazed.

Bucky slowed to a stop halfway towards the door.

Her lack of reaction could only mean one thing. She didn’t know he was there. She didn’t know he was a demon.

Bucky contemplated on what to do. He had always been the adventurous kind. Did he dare go closer to her? Angels were inherently stronger than demons. His kind tended to stay as far from them as possible. He would be putting his actual life in danger. It was one thing being subject to an exorcism and getting sent to hell. He could break out of there easy. But angels didn’t exorcise you. They killed you.

What the hell. Bucky was feeling brave. And curious.

He walked slowly over to where she sat, studying her reactions. His confidence seemed to increase when she gave no physical signs of being aware of his presence. Bucky’s curiosity skyrocketed. An angel who wasn’t aware of the presence of a demon? It was unprecedented.

He stopped right next to her, feeling his entire body tense again at being so close to her. He could feel it, the power in the veins. But again, it was too weak to be that of an angel. Bucky was so confused. She was an angel, yet she also felt like she wasn’t an angel.

What was she?

Bucky raised his hand up, signaling the bartender for two beers. He took the stool next to the….. whatever she was. She didn’t turn to look at him. She was staring straight ahead, lost in her own thoughts. Bucky’s eyes fell on what she was wearing. A shirt with a very tight fit, and pants that were almost two sizes too big.

He cleared his throat.

It seemed to snap her out of her thoughts, and she looked at him. Yes, Bucky was certain now. She was an angel.

“Hey.” He said, not bothering to come up with a good conversation starter. Angels were smart, but they weren’t all that good with communication. He would keep it simple.

Man, Bucky was really playing with fire here.

“Hello.” She replied. Bucky could hear the authority in her voice, a tone he had noticed existed characteristically in angels. A soft timidness accompanied it, like she was unsure if she was responding correctly.

The bartender placed the bottles in front of them, and Bucky nodded to it.

“That one’s yours.”

Her eyebrows furrowed as she eyed it.

“But I didn’t order a drink.” She said.

“I bought it for you.”

“Why?”

Bicky let out a pained sigh, already feeling impatient with her. This was precisely why he found angels so annoying. They didn’t understand human ways at all, since they didn’t prefer to mix with humans. They did their jobs from afar, and that made them inept in human customs and quirks. The only reason he was still here was because he wanted to know why in the hell she hadn’t realized what he was by now.

“Just drink it.”

She picked the bottle up slowly. “Thank you.” She said. “But I’m not thirsty.”

Bucky stared at her. “You don’t have to be thirsty to drink.”

It was her turn to be confused. “But isn’t that why we drink? Because we are thirsty and want to quench that thirst?”

Bucky groaned and smacked his forehead to the table.

“I wonder why your race is considered the smartest. Because you sound stupid as fuck.”

“My-” she breathed, eyes widening. “W-what race? What do you mean?”

Bucky stared at her, contemplating whether he should continue this new thread of conversation. She didn’t seem like a threat. Despite being an angel, Bucky could smell how weak she was. It was like all her insides were worn out and injured beyond repair.

He didn’t see immediate danger, so he continued.

“Angels.” He said. “Why do you have to take everything in black and white? There’s more to the world than just facts and figures. When will you learn to enjoy it instead of just walking around with sticks up your asses all the time?”

The alarm on her face was clear as day. She sat up straighter, body going rigid.

“How do you know?” He voice had dropped to a whisper, eyes wide. Bucky still couldn’t get over how clueless she was to him.

He shrugged, sipping his beer. “You don’t hide it well.”

There was a silence, in which she kept looking at him. Bucky tried to remain calm under her stare. Her influence already had him in overdrive. By instinct, every cell in his body was telling him to get away. But he had deduced about five minutes ago that this girl wasn’t a threat. He was safe. For now.

“Are you an angel too?”

Bucky wanted to laugh and thank Satan that he wasn’t. But he was thrown off by the sudden hope in her voice. He watched her features twist to one of so much expectation, he was at a loss of words.

He shook his head slowly, watching her face completely drop. She seemed to slump again when he wronged her statement. Once again, Bucky was taken aback by the sheer weakness of her body, the hesitation in her actions, the broken parts of her that his senses allowed him to feel. He had never known an angel to be so unsure of themselves. It unsettled him.

He wanted to know more. He wasn’t going to stop until he did.

“I have to go.” She said suddenly, standing up. Bucky blinked as she pulled the shirt down where it had ridden up, clearly uncomfortable in the clothing.

“Go where?” He couldn’t stop himself from asking.

She looked at him, as if wondering why he asked her that. Bucky shifted under her gaze.

“Thank you for the drink.” Those were her last words. Before Bucky could reply, she had started walking away.

Bucky waited until she had reached the door. Then, he smoothly slid off his stool and made his way to the door to follow her.

Time for his new adventure to begin.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader loses her grace, loses everything she has ever known, and is cast down to Earth. Bucky is the demon who loves causing chaos in little human minds. What does he do when he happens upon a broken angel?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A whole lot of this is made up. There is absolutely no historical or religious accuracy lol. Enjoy!

Back in the fourteenth century, a Knight of Hell had terrorized a family in Latin America. He had had a fallout in Hell, and believed that wreaking havoc on Earth would help get out his anguish. You had been part of the delegation that your superiors in Heaven had sent in order to put him down. Knights were stronger than typical demons, and it had taken three fully grown angels to track him down and kill him.

It was the last time you had been on Earth till now.

The wind was just as kind on your skin, the ground just as soft under your feet. Humans had made many improvements. Earth was a different place now. But the essence was the same. It still smelled homey and inviting. It affected you much, compared to the neat work environment you operated in up in Heaven.

Had your heart not been as heavy as it was, you might have enjoyed it.

It had taken some time to find your bearings after the fall. With great dismay, you had forced yourself to steal enough to get by. You had scrounged up some clothes which you had observed seemed acceptable for the times, had even gotten yourself a room at a place called a motel not far from the pub. You had gone to the pub to try and acclimatize yourself with the environment, with the people. But it was too suffocating. So many voices and chatter weren’t something you were used to.

The motel was a five minute walk from the pub. You took that time to breathe deep and try to forget about the stranger you had met. He had proved to be smart, and it almost scared you how he had guessed your previous status as an angel. You didn’t know how he knew. But you hoped to never see him again. He would only be another worry in your growing pile.

After three tries, you managed to get the key in the lock and open your door. It was still tricky to perform some mundane human tasks. Every day, you were faced with the embarrassment of not knowing another seemingly common human habit. As an angel, you had never had use of said habits, so you had never bothered learning them. But you were slowly getting a hang of them. You walked into the vacant room, taking in the sheer emptiness of it. It was one thing about the humans that you envied. When they walked into a place, they managed to make it their own. Despite the authority that exuded off of angels, your kind could never manage to do something like that.

You placed the lone key on the table, tired beyond words. Even though you had done nothing of importance the entire day, except ravage through books trying to find any clue where you might find your grace, your new much weaker state left you weary quicker than ever before.

When an angel fell, they were stripped of the one substance that gave them their power, their serenity. Holy grace. Instead of keeping the grace with itself, Heaven cast it down to Earth, somewhere near the place of the angel’s descent. The fallen angel then embarks on the journey of finding the grace that has been hidden in plain sight. Whichever angel is worthy, and has proved themselves redeemable, will eventually find their grace, returning to their full power and welcomed back to Heaven by their brothers and sisters.

And the ones that are not redeemable spend their lives trying to find their grace, eventually going mad during the search. It was on Earth that they would lay to chase their deaths, never to see the light of Heaven again.

You prayed it wouldn’t come to that. You prayed you were redeemable, even though some part of you was already whispering to you that you weren’t. You wished to ignore that part, letting the meek hope of returning to your home drive you to keep looking. For the past two weeks, you had had no success because you didn’t know where to start. It was hard enough trying to settle into your new being, so you hadn’t even gotten to properly searching yet.

You stared blankly at the bed, knees shaking with sheer exhaustion as you lowered yourself onto them on the floor beside the bed. And as soon as your body folded to that position, hands clasped before you, tears flowed freely from your eyes.

“Please,” your voice cracked. “Brothers and sisters. Any angel who can hear me. Please help me. I want my grace back. I want to be one of you again. I will do anything for it.”

Your throat tightened, leaving you speechless on the floor. Eyes screwed shut, you let the emotions take over. The most foreign part of your fallen state. The millions of feelings that swept over you every day. Feelings you weren’t even aware of. You thought about all the people who would go to churches, mosques and temples. People who would sit before their gods, crying their eyes out and believing their prayers would be answered by the weight of their tears. You had always wondered what made them so desperate.

Now you understood why.

You let the emotions speak, you let the tears sing their symphonies and embody your plea in a way your words never could. Your felt the burning itch in your back, your concealed, broken wings. The persistent wounded objects reminding you of your loss. Reminding you of what you had.

No one feeling the same amount of emotion as you could have ever noticed the dark presence right outside your door, leaning against it and listening to every word that spilled from your mouth. Maybe if you still had your power, you would have been able to feel the negative energy. But you were too broken to realize what evil lurked just outside.

………………….

Bucky stared wide eyed at nothing in particular, body tense at the information that had just revealed itself. As slowly as he could while still keeping his ears tuned for what was going on inside the room, he slid down until he sat on the wooden floor outside the motel room with his back to the door. He chewed on the inside of his mouth, trying to absorb the newfound information that had dawned on him with just that one plea he had heard.

She was a fallen angel.

Fallen angels weren’t common. It had happened before, but very rarely. Every 500 to 1000 years, something terrible would happen in Heaven, resulting in the banishment of yet another angel. Some of them eventually made their way back, as far as Bucky had heard. But most of them spent the rest of their newly mortal lives on Earth, among other humans as they searched frantically for their grace.

Their grace.

Angel grace was one of the most powerful tools to exist in the universe. Bucky could just imagine what would happen if he ever got hands on it…

An idea was already brewing in his head, and he felt a smile spread on his face as his mind raced with what he was about to attempt.

A demon with an angel’s grace. The possibilities were endless. Forget Hell, Bucky could take over Earth with that much power. Satan was basically an angel with a demon’s capabilities. But a demon with an angel’s capabilities? Chaos. Destruction. Power unprecedented since the dawn of creation.

Before the plan even took tangible shape, Bucky knew he was going to do it. He had to. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.

He yelped as the support of the door on his back suddenly left, leaving him to fall backwards and come in contact with the floor. He looked up at the upside down eyes of the angel, a frown making its way to her face. Blinking, Bucky quickly lifted himself up so he could stand, trying to look somber and not let his inner glee show. He pulled on a sympathetic face, but quickly wiped it away when he realized that wasn’t going to work for what he had in mind.

“Did you follow me here?” She asked, frown deepening at the assumption. She clutched the door handle with one hand, and Bucky could see the fear in her eyes. Fear of what he might have heard.

Bucky nodded, pretending to look ashamed.

“I did. But,” he held his hand up to stop her when she opened her mouth. “I had good reason.”

“And what was that reason?” She asked, shifting.

Bucky sighed and bent his body into a hunch to look less intimidating and more inviting. It was a subtle difference, but being a profession liar, Bucky knew it made all the difference in the world. He had to play his cards right if he wanted this to work. In fact, the first part of his plan was actually the hardest part.

“I lied to you back at the pub.” He said. “I am an angel.”

Her eyes widened for a moment, before turning skeptical again. So she wasn’t a complete idiot. It would take more than that with her. He continued speaking.

“I wasn’t sure if I could trust you. So I followed you. And I know that isn’t a good thing to do, but I wanted to be sure. We have to be careful when we’re on Earth, you know.”

Bucky prayed to Lucifer he was doing this right.

She nodded, understanding, making Bucky breathe a little easier. He couldn’t tell if it was working or not, but he had to go on assuming it was.

“I now realize what you’ve been through…. sister.” He lied, smoothly. “And I want to help you.”

The softness and hope that suddenly entered into her eyes make Bucky’s heart leap with joy. He had her.

“We will find your grace.” He continued, keeping his voice low and soft. “We will get you back to Heaven. I consider it my duty.”

A smile was already spreading on her face, a film of tears already coating her eyes.

“Okay.” She whispered. “I cannot thank you enough…”

“James.” He said quickly, making her nod.

“James.” She repeated. “I don’t think I’ve heard of you before.”

Bucky shrugged, acting like he didn’t know why. Of course he knew why. He was a fucking demon. But she didn’t have to know that.

“I’m mostly stationed down on Earth. I’ve been here for at least a millenium.”

She nodded, stepping aside to finally move the conversation inside.

“I would love to know more.” She said. “And maybe we can start our search?” It ended in a question, her hesitation shining through her hope and expectation.

It was then that Bucky discovered a big weakness of angels in that very moment. They always told the truth. And that made them incapable to tell the truth apart from the lies.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader loses her grace, loses everything she has ever known, and is cast down to Earth. Bucky is the demon who loves causing chaos in little human minds. What does he do when he happens upon a broken angel?

“This is strange.” You said, looking at the dark brown liquid that swirled around the cup. It let out clouds of steam, indicating how hot it was. Distantly, the girl behind the counter yelled out another name, and you watched a man walk up to the counter and get his cup. You wondered if he got the same thing as you and James. James had assured you it was a popular human drink. You had yet to taste it. The colour made you apprehensive.

James, however, had already half emptied his cup. You watched him take another big gulp before looking at you.

“Of course it’s strange to you. Every new thing is strange. You just have to trust me and go with it. Have I let you down till now?”

You shook your head, knowing how supportive James had been while you adapted to an entirely new environment not only around you but also within you. You knew he wouldn’t give you something that could harm you. He was your friend now. Your ally.

It had been about a week since James had shown up at your motel, offering his help to you. In that time, you had made very little progress towards your goal. James had disappeared for a few hours, telling you to wait until he got some information. He had come back with helpful bits of it. According to whatever source he had consulted, an angel-turned-human could find their grace in a place or object on Earth that they had grown to hold sentimental value for.

“Well, I’m assuming you don’t have something like that.” James had said. “You only just got here.”

You didn’t know what to do after that, since you didn’t have a place or object that held sentimental value for you. Your newfound emotions had taken over. And since you had absolutely no control over them, you had resorted to just cry.

Right now, you sat at the coffee place James had called ‘Starbucks’, leading to a debate where you continually tried to guess what it meant and why anyone would name it that, while James had tried to get you to stop.

“Just…. let it go.” He groaned as he ordered for the both of you. “Not everything has to be dissected to the last detail. Enjoy it as it is.”

“I really don’t understand what about the name is really enjoyable.”

James groaned again, running a hand through his hair and tugging at it slightly. His expression was pained, and you didn’t understand why he would pull at his hair if it only served to hurt him.

There was a lot about James that you didn’t understand.

He was a quirkiest angel you had ever met. You couldn’t recall another angel so free and careless. They all had jobs, while James acted like he had nothing to do with his time. Often you would ask him about what exactly he did on Earth, but he would always change the subject and the conversation would be over before you realized he had never answered your question. One thing you had deduced was that he was very good with words.

He was looking at you now, expression tired.

“Just drink it.” He sighed, downing the rest of his drink.

You nodded and took a sip, eyebrows furrowing at the bitter taste. It was strong and almost stung your tongue with its unfamiliarity. But it was strangely delicious.

“I like it.” You declared, nodding your head to yourself.

James sighed. “Well, thank the fucking lord.”

You blinked at the words, taken aback. That was another thing about James. He had no filter. He said whatever came to mind, he swore a lot, and was often mean to people. You didn’t understand how an angel could be like that. But you had deduced it was because he had been on Earth for so long that he had started to act like humans do.

You drank the coffee in silence for a few minutes, observing the people as they moved into and out of the place. Many of them were dressed for their respective jobs, bustling into the shop in a rush, grabbing a coffee and leaving. In a way, they reminded you of Heaven, where everyone worked to make sure Earth went on its track in a perfect harmony. The only difference was angels weren’t even half as flustered as humans often were.

There was a pang in your chest, and you felt the intensity with which you wanted to go home. You missed it so much. Taking a deep, painful breath, you turned to James.

“So, what’s the plan?”

He pursed his lips, shrugging. “The only thing I can think of is taking you around different places hoping one of them just clicks.” He replied, draining the last of his coffee. “It’s a weak shot, but it’s all we’ve got right now.”

You nodded slowly, feeling another wave if tears come to the surface. You breathed deeply and tried to push it down. You were emotional enough as it is, and you didn’t want James to think of you as too much baggage and leave you to your own devices again.

If Heaven could discard you after so many millenia, you didn’t doubt an angel you’d met a week ago would do the same.

After coffee, you followed James outside again. The clouds were heavy today, in contrast to the sun that had been shining for the past week. James had his lips pursed and you wondered what he was thinking about.

“What about the place where you crashed when you fell?” He said suddenly. “I’m sure that place means something to you.”

You sighed, shrugging.

“Well, yes, I suppose it does mean something to me. But in all the wrong ways. Isn’t my association with the place or object supposed to be positive?”

He shrugged, kicking at a rock on the sidewalk. “I don’t know. We only know it needs to have sentimental value, right? So who knows? Maybe it’s there. No harm in checking right?”

You nodded, feeling just a tinge of hope bloom in your chest. Maybe James was right. He knew more than you did about Earthly matters. He could be spot on about this too.

The car ride was supposed to be long, so James rented a comfortable car for the ride. You had wandered quite far from the place you fell, in hopes of covering more ground to find your grace. That was before you were aware of this new tidbit to help you find it.

You sat with your legs pulled up to your chest, sitting sideways in the seat and facing James. His eyes remained focused on the road, jaw clenching every now and then. He looked like he was lost in thought, but appeared calm and relaxed at the same time.

“Do you think we’ll find my grace there?” You asked, making him glance at you before facing forwards again. He nodded.

“I think we will.” He said. “It’s the only place that’s even remotely important for you. If it doesn’t hold your grace, then….” He trailed off, glancing at you again to gauge your reaction. You nodded, understanding his implication.

You might turn out to be one of the angels who lost their minds trying to get home.

“Why did you decide to help me?” You asked. “I’m sure you had better things to do. Duties to perform.”

James let out a little laugh, shrugging. “I can’t just let a fellow angel suffer this much.”

You smiled, feeling a strange giddiness that you’d never felt before wash over you. You couldn’t believe you had met someone so compassionate. You didn’t think it was possible for angels to be like that. But you guessed you were wrong.

“Thank you.” You choked out, again trying not to cry. “I didn’t think I would find someone so sincere. You should know that you’re really keeping me together and giving me hope right now.”

James nodded a bit, shooting a small smile your way. You closed your eyes, tired already. It was frustrating how hard it was adapting to human traits. You had a hard time trying to remain active and think properly. Some things had been easy to take up, while others were still as hard as day one. The steady hum of the car engine was quick to lull you to sleep.

………………….

You woke to James shaking you, eyes still on the road. Blinking, you sat up, looking outside the windshield.

“Where exactly is this place? Because you told me to just drive north and now I think we’re lost.”

You shook your head, feeling the bleariness slowly fade away.

“No, we’re okay.” You said, voice still a little hoarse. Your eye caught a certain tree that was so crooked that you had stopped and looked at it the first time you saw it. So you remembered it this time around. “It’s just a little bit farther.”

James gave you a look. “How’s that possible? The next town is still an hour away.”

You sighed, cheek resting against the cool glass of the window. “I didn’t fall in a town. Don’t you think anyone would notice if I did?”

James nodded slowly. “Makes sense.”

It was silent for a bit, and you continued staring outside. You remembered walking on this exact road, lost and confused and trying to get somewhere. The mere memory sent shivers up your spine.

“Stop. Right here.” You pointed to the side of the road. James looked at you with a confused expression but didn’t question you, bringing the car to a stop near the edge of the road. You looked out at the wide expanse of dried out grass stretching as far as you could see, before stepping out of the car. Behind you, you heard James do the same thing. You turned back to glance at him before you began walking through the grass.

The dried grass made snapping and crunching sounds under your feet as you and James moved farther and farther from the road. You saw it even from far off, and, taking a breath, you walked over to it before coming to a stop.

You heard James intake of breath as he looked at the sight before him, you turned to take in his expression, eyes wide and shocked. The smell of smoke that had been there when you fell was gone, but the marks were still there.

You saw James’ eyes trace over the black marks that had been burned into the grass in the shape on two large wings, the gap between them unscathed where your body had lain. The wind was blowing the yellow wisps of grass over the black, a contrast that made the burns look even more daunting.

“These are yours.” He whispered, stating the obvious. The words said out loud reminded you of that day, almost knocking the wind out of you. Up until now, everything that had happened felt like a dream. But this made it seem so much more real.

James walked around the mark until he stood at the edge of one wing, a good six feet away from you at the center. He looked fascinated, and you wondered what it was about this entire situation that he found so interesting.

“How did it feel?” He asked, looking up at you suddenly. Big blues bore into your own eyes, softer than you had ever seen them. But you didn’t see pity, like you were afraid you would. You just saw curiosity, and maybe some…. admiration?

You couldn’t be sure. You weren’t exactly the master interpreter of emotions.

“The fall?” You asked, making him nod. You took a deep breath.

“It wasn’t much different from any other fall anyone would take.” You spoke. “It was the feeling that came with it… my grace leaving my body,” your voice cracked and you paused, squeezing you eyes shut when tears pooled in them. Two wet lines tracked down your face.

“It felt like getting beaten up from the inside. By the time I crashed, I felt like I had gotten in the worst battle of my life. And lost.”

James’ stare didn’t waver from your face. You watched his face contort slightly at the feeling your words projected, the wind making his hair fly into his face. He was silent for a while, before he spoke up again.

“To be sentenced to go through something so horrible,” he looked at you. “Y/N, what did you do?”

The tears were coming steadily now, you sniffed and wiped them, but more flowed down your face. You didn’t know what gave you the courage to tell him, but all the emotions overriding your brain made you say it before you could stop and think.

“I refused to follow an order.” You stated.

There was shuffling and crunching, and then James stood next to you. You didn’t look at him.

“What order?”

You sighed. There was no point hiding it now. So you just let the words flow.

“There was a demon planning something very nasty on Earth. We found out because the dark magic vibing off of certain places was so ancient and so powerful, we had to do something about it. The magic hadn’t been used in many centuries, and we knew it meant something very big was being planned.

The problem was, we couldn’t track the demon down. We had gone as far as finding out which city, but we couldn’t get closer than that. There were thousands of people in that city. He could’ve been everyone. And we didn’t have a lot of time.

The superiors finally gave the order. They said we had to annihilate the whole city. They said a few thousand lives lost was better than the whole human race dying.”

You stared down at the burned grass, the result of your fall.

“I refused.” You whispered. “They told me to do it, and I refused.”

You heard the intake of breath from James, but you still didn’t look up. You didn’t think you could.

“I couldn’t kill so many people even if it meant saving so many others. I couldn’t just do it in the name of the greater good and let so many people die. And nobody seems to understand how hard it was for me to refuse. Free will isn’t something our kind is allowed, it’s a purely human trait.”

There was a low rumbling overhead, the sky was heavy with water. The air was humid. The wind was still blowing.

“I fought tooth and nail to stay in Heaven.” You continued, voice cracking. “But no one was willing to listen. I had done something no angel had ever done. And it cost me so terribly.”

“Why do you want to go back?” James interrupted suddenly. Rain had started to fall, getting more rapid by the second. Already, your clothes were starting to get wet. You looked at James through it as it got even heavier. He seemed angry almost. His eyes bored into yours and his body was tense in his anger.

“Why would you want to back to the place where no one would stand up for you?”

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, shocked at his outburst. You both were facing each other now. The sky was dark and the rain was coming down in sheets.

“They’re my family. They’re my kind.”

“Bullshit!” He shouted, making you reel back a bit in shock. “Family don’t cast family out. They might have meant to world to you but you meant fuck all to them. That’s why they didn’t stand up for you. That’s why it was you against Heaven.”

You didn’t reply. You couldn’t. In a way, James was right. But it was a thought you could never fathom. It was something you couldn’t even think to consider.

“You got kicked out of there because you exhibited free will.” He continued, voice still shaking in anger. “You got cast out because you weren’t like other angels. Maybe it’s because you’re not meant to be an angel.”

You gritted your teeth. “That’s enough.” You said, finally. Turning away from him, you wrapped your arms around yourself against the cold and wetness.

“I was born an angel. Which means I will always be one no matter what. I will go home. And if you still want to help me, I’ll be very happy. And if you don’t, I’m grateful for all you’ve done.” You turned to face away from the wing marks and back towards the road.

“Now I would very much appreciate it if you could just take me back.” Those were your last words, and after that, you started making your way back through the grass and the falling rain, feeling even more broken than you had when you fell.


	5. Chapter 5

The car engine hummed steadily and quietly. The rain was making stop pit pat noises as it fell on the roof and windows of the car. Through the wipers working on clearing the windshield, Bucky looked at the road visible in the headlights.

The heater was warming him up slightly, but it still had a long way to go since he was soaking wet. Thankfully, the seats were leather so they wouldn’t soak all the way through. He didn’t want to ruin his freshly stolen car so soon.

Y/N was staring straight ahead too, obviously still angry about their little tussle in the field. Her whole body had tensed, and Bucky knew his words had really hit close to home. He could tell it had been something she’d thought of at least once before, but was too headstrong to think about, let alone accept. But her rational human mind, her new gift of free will, it was forcing her to think.

Bucky was quickly feeling angry again.

He couldn’t believe he had impulsively spewed all that sentimental shit. Sure, Y/N had gone through terrible things. As much as Bucky loved torture, he felt strangely angry that someone as delicate and innocent as her was going through it. Bucky might be a demon but he had his boundaries. Even when out and about, he picked his targets carefully. He screwed with people that were willing to be screwed over, people that catalyzed their own downfalls. And he did so purely because he knew he wasn’t screwing with fate that way. The people he chose were destined to go to hell anyway. But Y/N had done nothing to provoke it. All she’d done was stick to her guns about something she just couldn’t do. And her so called ‘family’ had completely ditched her.

If it was one thing that infuriated Bucky to the point he felt his brain melting, it was backstabbing assholes.

Bucky was a demon. Bucky had committed a lot of sins. But he was loyal to the friends he had. It was something he was proud of as a demon. They stuck up for their own kind.

Apparently, angels didn’t do that.

Nevertheless, the outburst might have just ruined the entirety of Bucky’s plan. He hadn’t come here to get all buddy buddy with the broken doll. He wanted that grace. And he might have just ruined his chances of getting it.

It was pissing him off that he even had to think about whether he wanted this as much as he initially did. He repeated the words over and over in his brain. You want this. You want it. He hadn’t busted his ass trying to tolerate this angel just to give up on his plan. Then, he spoke.

“So uh, it’s strange how we went all the way out there to find your grace and we didn’t even look for it.”

He glanced at Y/N, who didn’t turn to look at him.

“It wasn’t there. Or else I would have felt it.”

Bucky nodded, gritting his teeth. Something about the fact that the only place her grace could be was lacking it made a strange relief wash over him. He didn’t understand why, but the feeling was there. Bucky shook his head silently. He really needed to reflect on this sudden change in attitude before he made his next move. Or else he would end up doing something really stupid and ruining the whole plan altogether.

The rest of the ride was silent, though not as awkward as before. The car finally came to a stop at the motel Y/N had been staying at. The owner had tried to kick her out once already, but Bucky had already dealt with that. Y/N could stay there as long as she wanted.

She got out of the car once Bucky turned the engine off. He followed suit. The rain was much lighter but it was still drizzling. When Y/N unlocked the door and pushed it open, she seemed to hesitate, turning back to look at him.

“I’m sorry I got mad at you.” She said, appearing sheepish and hesitant. “I was just shocked. I didn’t mean what I said. I don’t really want you to leave.”

Bucky breathed in a little, taking in her wide eyes and slightly open mouth. He felt something stir inside him.

“I should be sorry.” He blurted out suddenly, stepping closer to her. “I really shouldn’t have provoked you like that. You should- you should continue looking.”

Y/N shook her head and waved a hand in dismissal.

“You were right.” She said, quietly. “Maybe I should really think about this. Maybe sometimes it’s okay to just feel.” She looked at him, eyes wide and twinkling despite the dim light outside. Bucky’s hair was already getting damp again, but that was none of his concern. He was too focused on the girl before him. His gaze caught her plump lips, open slightly as she breathed.

“It is.” He replied, not taking his eyes off her. It had never occurred to Bucky just how beautiful Y/N actually was. But looking over her now in the dim street light that contoured her face, at the dip of her waist and the curve of her hips, he wondered what her skin would feel like under his fingers. He hadn’t had sex ever since he ran into her. He had been too busy planning his conspiracy out. And suddenly, he wanted her in ways he’d never wanted her before.

She didn’t move when Bucky took another step closer, face inches from hers.

“There’s so many things you haven’t felt yet.” He said, slowly moving his hand to her hip and then sliding it down her thigh. She looked down at it, jumping slightly under the touch, but she didn’t stop him or question him. He knew she felt the tension, and he could almost smell her desire.

“So many things that would blow your mind.”

Her eyes were darting between his. “I want to experience them all.” She whispered, tilting her head up slightly, still looking wide eyed, and her expression was too ready, too unsuspecting. It was all Bucky needed. He didn’t think about what he was doing. He didn’t think about how it would affect his master plan. In that moment, he only saw her. And he only felt the burning tension between them. Too caught up in the moment, he closed the distance, lips meeting hers.

Her gasp was audible, the parted lips giving Bucky the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. He moved his lips against hers, feeling the familiar fire of being close to someone spread through his body. Slowly, he felt her body relax, her lips move. Despite her uncertain movements, Bucky could feel that she wanted it, even if she didn’t know what exactly it was that she wanted. His arms went around her, pressing her close to his body. His tongue roamed her mouth as she became completely pliant against him, letting him do whatever he wanted as she let out a moan. And that turned him on even more.

He slowly started shuffling her backwards, lips never leaving hers. Bucky’s train of thought was completely thrown out the window. Not thinking his actions through was a big problem with him. This was one of the instances the same problem had arised. But currently, he could give less of a crap. He wanted her. And every single one of her body’s instinctive reactions told him she wanted him too.

He would think of the consequences later. He was a demon. He could deal with it.

……………..

His lips were like magic, his roaming fingers sent chills up your spine.

You gasped and broke away from the kiss, the need for air too strong. Immediately, his lips made contact with your neck, making your body jerk when he nibbled on the skin.

“What are we doing?” You managed to choke out, finding it very hard to string words together as James’ tongue ran over your neck.

“Tell me to stop and I will.” Was his reply. You immediately shook your head.

“No no no. Please, don’t stop.” A moan was pulled out of you when he sucked on a spot on your neck. You felt his lips stretched into a smirk.

You were familiar with the concept of intercourse, where you assumed this interaction was heading. To this day you hadn’t understood what about it humans found so addicting. Now, you could see what it was. The feelings coursing through your body right now, you wanted to feel forever. And you hadn’t even gotten to the actual deed yet.

You were moving backwards under James’ guiding body until your legs connected with the single bed in the room and you fell on the mattress. His body followed you, lips crashing into yours once again. You let him take control of the situation, and you couldn’t really tell what he was doing, only that it felt really good. His hands were everywhere, one of them moving under your shirt to spread over your bare skin. Your nerve endings lit up with a fire that made your whole body tense in anticipation.

“You’ve been through so much.” James mumbled, lifting himself up on his elbows to keep his weight off you. His lips trailed over your cheek and jaw. His breath tickled you. “Let me make you feel good.”

You were already nodding before he ended his sentence. Human instincts were taking over, and your hands were tugging at him, wanting to feel every inch of his body against yours. You didn’t fight what your mind was telling you to do. You just did it.

Clothes started coming off after that, flying off the bed and onto the floor. You didn’t feel uncomfortable when James shamelessly raked his eyes all over your body. In fact, it only made you feel more powerful. More desirable. Not thinking, you arched your back, drawing James’ attention to your chest. He hummed a little, smirking up at you before leaning down and trapping a nipple between his teeth.

You gasped at the feeling, back still arched to push yourself closer to him. He rolled the other one between his thumb and forefinger as he sucked on your nipple. He took your hand and placed it on his head. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling. He groaned against your skin, making you keen. You had never imagined anything could feel this good.

Something hard was pressing against your thigh. But you wanted it somewhere else. You shifted slightly so it rubbed between your legs. James groaned again, looking up at you and biting his lip.

“Is this okay?” You panted, still moving.

“More than okay.” James choked out, lips crashing to yours again. He grinded harder against you and you whined, feeling your entire body clench.

“Please.” You cried out, not knowing what you wanted but trusting that he would know. Then, something was pushing against you, harder and harder until it broke through the resistance and slid into you. You moaned loudly, arching up as he slid deeper and deeper until his hips came in contact with yours.

It felt a little strange, but so so good. You kept letting out little mewls and whines, not being able to control the sudden onslaught of sensations running through your body. Your nails dug into James’ bare back as he started moving, the thrusts short and quick to get you used to it. His hand was guiding your leg up, hooking under your knee to pull it upward and outward, making him slide even deeper.

“Harder. Please.” You breathed out, making him groan and thrust harder, longer. Your sweaty bodies pressed together, James’ teeth and lips assaulting your neck in the best way possible. Your eyes screwed shut at the intensity of the movements, a lone tear tracking down your face. Before you could stop, the dam inside you broke and you screamed.

It was like nothing you had felt before, or anything you could ever feel. Your breaths came hard and fast, trying to catch up to the waves rushing over your body. Your nails scratched down James’ back, making him groan out and tense, stilling inside you and face burying itself into your neck. You breathed hard, sweat running down your body. You sighed when James pulled out and flipped down next to you on the bed, breathing just as hard as you.

Your entire body buzzed, tiredness settling slowly into your muscles. Your eyes fluttered shut. Distantly, you felt warmth envelop you, but sleep was already taking over you.

Before you knew it, you were pulled into abyss.


	6. Chapter 6

Something next to Bucky was stirring and shuffling, making him screw his eyes shut and groan loudly. The thing stilled, and then all was quiet.

Curious, Bucky opened his eyes, squinting against the light that bombarded his vision. Blinking slightly, he turned his head to catch a pair of wide eyes that looked like a deer caught in headlights. He recognized the eyes as Y/N’s, and his eyes traveled down to run over her bare skin on display. Memories rushed back of the night before, and Bucky felt his heart race.

What the hell? He’d never fallen asleep after having sex. He always put his clothes on and walked out to have a drink and maybe head to a strip club. He was a demon so he didn’t need sleep unless he slept by choice. And he had never gone to sleep next to the girl he’d just had sex with. But then again, he’d never had sex with someone like her either.

Something about Y/N was so different. Maybe it was because she’d never done this before. Maybe it was because to her, this was more than just sex. He could see it in her eyes. Last night and now as well.

“Hi.” She spoke, smiling wide. Her eyes held a twinkle he hadn’t seen in her till now. Her hair was sprawled over the pearly white sheets, rustling as she moved. Bucky now realized that this was the happiest she had been in her own skin ever since he’d met her.

“Hey.” He choked out, suddenly afraid. Bucky wasn’t one for commitment, no matter what kind of commitment it was. For fuck’s sake, he wasn’t even committed enough to stay in Hell where almost all other demons were. He was a free spirit. He hated being tied down. And here he was sleeping in the same bed as the girl he just had sex with.

He sat up and cleared his throat, eyes catching Y/N’s as she still looked at him. Bucky had satisfied his fair share of ladies, but this was different. She was looking at him like he’d just hung the moon and the stars. Bucky took in the yellow light from the window that fell on her skin, giving her a glow he had yet to see on anyone else. It seemed to punch him in the gut how much this girl trusted him, despite having suffered from the worst betrayal of her very long life under the hands of her own kin.

Bucky was torn. Torn between how much he wanted to stay, how much he wanted to kiss her all over and how much he wanted to run away and never see her again. He was afraid of what would happen if she found out he was a demon, the very creature that her kind despised the most. He was filth compared to how pure she was. The minute she found out, she would never want to see his face again.

So make sure she never finds out. The voice in his head was saying.

“James?” He blinked when a hand waved in front of his face. Y/N giggled a bit, and Bucky’s heart skipped. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. He was so screwed.

“You zoned out.” She said, still smiling wide. Bucky choked out a noise that sounded nothing like a laugh.

“I just remembered I have to do something.” He said, standing up quickly and reaching for his clothes. “I’ll be back soon, just- I have to go.”

Her eyebrows were already furrowing and holy shit Bucky had never felt an urge more powerful than the one he felt right then to wipe that frown off her face. Instead, he gritted his teeth and rushed out as soon as he had pulled his clothes on.

…………………..

You sighed and closed your eyes when the wind moved through your hair, turning your head so it hit your face. You kicked at a rock and sent it flying across the sidewalk. You continued walking until the rock was within reach, and you kicked it again.

Fall was a beautiful season, you had decided. One of the best ones. The leaves coating the roads, dried up and making soft crunching noises under your feet, the colors were soft and mellow, and the weather was spectacular. Fall reminded you of turning over a new page, starting a new chapter of life. Maybe this weather was symbolic. Maybe it was time you started a new chapter of your life as well.

Your feet carried you to a small park a few blocks away from your motel. There were many people out and about, most of them kids who were playing games that looked foreign to you. You watched them for a bit, taking in the purity and innocence with which they played. Children fascinated you because you longed to be like them, carefree and joyful. They had no weight sitting on their shoulders. It was something you craved to feel.

There was a man leaning against the lone tree in the park. And he kept staring at you. You didn’t let it bother you. You felt too happy and light to worry too much. Nothing could ruin your mood today.

You were so wrong.

The man was walking towards you now, face hard set and body rigid. He stopped a few feet from you and stared you down. The hatred and anger in his expression threw you off.

“Traitor.” He gritted out.

You blinked, shocked at his words. His hands had balled into fists, and you were afraid that any minute, he might actually hit you.

“What?”

“When you refused to obey Heaven, I almost understood your reasoning. I almost protested that you be given a second chance. I now thank my instinct to remain quiet. Because you were never worthy of redemption.”

An angel.

The minute he started talking, you knew he was an angel. His tone was too familiar to not be. It was the same tone, the same look that all the angels had given you just before you were cast down. Just before your grace was ripped from you. The look of disgrace, disgust, and disbelief.

“I don’t understand.” You whispered, taking in the words he had just spoken.

“You are impure.” He continued. “You are rotten. You never deserved to be called an angel. You never deserved to live among us!”

“Stop!” You held your hands up, tears springing into your eyes. “Why are you saying all this? What did I do?”

He laughed then, loud and disbelieving. “What did you do? As if being cast down wasn’t enough, you had to go and associate with a demon. I am ashamed to think that once, you walked among us.”

“A demon? Are you in your senses?” You rushed to try and catch up with what he was saying, not understanding a single word. A demon? What does a demon have to do with anything?

“Are you in yours?” He learned forward, sneering. “Look around you, Y/N. Not everyone is what you believe them to be.”

And then he disappeared.

Gasping for breath, you stumbled a little, eyes wide as his words soaked into your brain. It was a maze you were trying to navigate in your head. And it was proving to be very hard.

You could even comprehend what he meant. Trying to ignore how much his words stung, you chose to focus on what he had said.

Associating with a demon?

Your wobbly legs carried you to a nearby vacant bench and you sat down. Your head had already started throbbing with pain, and you squeezed your eyes shut, pressing at your temples.

You hadn’t associated with any demons. Why would you? You would kill one as soon as you saw it had you been an angel. The only being you had any connection with at all was James.

James.

Not everyone is what you believe them to be.

Your blood ran cold.

You stared at nothing, mouth dropped open as you went through every single interaction you had had with James. The first one at the pub. Him following you. Claiming he had lied and that he was an angel. Claiming he wanted to help you.

Why?

You remembered how broken you had been at the time. How much weight it was trying to adapt to being a human. You weren’t thinking straight. You weren’t thinking at all, actually. If James was really an angel, why would he help you? Heaven hated you. Every single angel flinched at the mention of your name. And there he was, offering to help you get back to Heaven.

Why?

You remembered back in the field, when he had asked you how you fell. How could he not know? It was the biggest controversy Heaven had faced in a long time. Everyone knew, everyone talked about it. How did he not know?

And then he tried to convince you to forget about returning. No matter how valid his points were, it didn’t make sense. For an angel, there was nothing more important than being an angel and serving Heaven. The thought of being anything other than an angel was unacceptable. Blasphemous. And he didn’t blink before saying it.

Why?

You gasped and stood up, feeling tears pool in your eyes once more. You felt his hands on you, his lips on your skin. Before you could think farther, you were running. Running as fast as you could. Trying to get away from your thoughts, from the revelations that had just descended upon you. But they chased you, running faster than you could. The reality was right there in your face. It had been there all along, but only now were you clear-headed enough to see it.

James was a demon.

He was a demon. You had talked to a demon. You had lived with a demon. You had trusted a demon. You had let a demon climb inside your body.

The tears were too thick and your sobs too uncontrolled for you to run any further. Stumbling until you had stopped in a narrow alley, you collapsed next to the wall, choking and sobbing, out of breath. You felt a scream brew in your chest as you rubbed at your arms, trying to get his lingering touch off you. You pressed hard against the wall, hoping you could disappear into it, praying you never get out again.

Finally, your body collapsed, too weak to continue resisting the truth. You lay on the ground and cried, feeling a familiar hurt take over your body. The same kind when you fell, the feeling of betrayal. You remembered James eyes when he had entered you, the fire in your veins and moans that had left his mouth. You remembered him this morning, the way his eyes had lingered on you, how much you had wanted him to stay so you could touch him all over.

You had laid with a demon. You had laid with the spawn of Lucifer. And as much as it disgusted you now, you had enjoyed every minute.

Your breaths were clogged and your tears didn’t stop. You felt weary to the bone. You wanted to end your life. In that moment, you want to cease existing, because of how you felt. You felt dirty. You hated yourself, and no matter how much you tried to deny it, the truth still lingered in your mind. Your feelings- your petty human feelings- they still craved him. They still wanted him.

They still loved him.


	7. Chapter 7

You were afraid.

You didn’t know why all of a sudden fear was the only emotion that coursed through your body, but it was. Once the truth had properly sunk in, all you felt was fear slowly diffusing through every nerve in your body, leaving you crippled and trembling.

You couldn’t face him. But you had to.

The walk back to the motel was slow and seemed to stretch out for what felt like an eternity. By the time you stood before the dark brown door, staring at the smooth, wooden surface, all you could think of was what waited for you on the other side. The wind that had been blowing before had picked up, and the clouds above were heavy with rain. It was humid, and you knew it would start pouring soon. If you kept standing here, you would get drenched. But it didn’t matter anymore. In fact, you wanted to welcome the rain. Maybe as it fell over your body, you could pretend it was washing away everything that had just been revealed to you. Maybe you could enter the room having completely forgotten what exactly it was that had turned you so deathly afraid. Maybe you could enter with just as much happiness and satisfaction buzzing in your veins as was there when you had left.

It was too big a wish, though.

The door knob squealed slightly as you turned it, the door opening on its own once the resistance was gone. Without moving from where you stood, you eyed the room inside, taking in the emptiness of it. It was then that you realized James wasn’t here.

The relieved sigh that left you took some of the burden on your shoulders with it. You leaned against the doorframe, suddenly so exhausted you couldn’t move. You wondered if you should go to sleep. You could lock the door behind you so he couldn’t get in. You’d be safe.

It suddenly occurred to you that James was a demon. He didn’t need doors, he could just come in however and whenever he wanted. Laughable, how you had forgotten what he was.

“Y/N?” You nearly yelped as you whipped around, eyes meeting pale blue ones. The rain had started falling, making his hair damp and causing it to stick to his face slightly. His eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, taking in your disheveled state. Your hair was a mess with how much you’d tugged at it, your clothes dirty and scratches on your arms, all self inflicted.

“Are you okay? What happened?” James asked, moving closer to you, hands reaching for you. You immediately stumbled back, coming in contact with the wall next to the door. Your mind was racing. You couldn’t go in now, not into an enclosed space. That would be like walking straight into the trap. You stared down at your feet, glad that he had paused the minute you stepped back.

“What’s wrong?” His voice was softer. It trembled slightly, and it sounded almost….. afraid.

Once again for the tenth time, your heart squeezed, screaming that not a bone in James’ body felt like he was a demon. But you dismissed it. You weren’t an angel, you couldn’t tell anymore. Your human emotions were messing with you, trying to cling onto the one being that had given you comfort during the time you were trying to rebuild yourself. You couldn’t listen to that voice now. It was sure to misguide you.

Human minds were always murky.

He stepped forward again. “Y/N..”

“Don’t touch me.” You gritted out, pressing further back into the wall. He stopped again, obviously shocked by the hostility in your voice. Your heart was beating out of your chest.

“Why? What did I do?” He said, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

Suddenly, you felt anger taking over your body.

“Don’t touch me, demon.” You spit out, eyes finally meeting his. He shrank back at the words, eyes going wide in shock. Your hands had curled into fists, and your feet were now carrying you away from him, away from the motel and back out towards the road. The rain was falling steadily now, not too much and not too little, the roads were spotted with drops.

“Y/N…” James said, and your step almost faltered at how broken he sounded. But you screwed your eyes shut and kept walking, attributing the sound as another thing your fucked up human mind had come up with, trying to grasp at any straw that could make you turn around.

“Y/N, no. Wait.” His voice was getting closer. “You don’t understand-” His hand grabbed at your arm.

“Don’t touch me!” You shrieked, pulling your arm away and turning to look at him. He stared at you, shocked. His clothes were getting damper, as were yours. You both stood in the middle of the vacant road, the only light coming from the lights of the neighboring buildings. You were breathing hard for some reason, and tears were blurring your vision the longer you looked into his ocean blue eyes.

“I don’t- please.” He managed to get out. “Don’t leave.”

You held your breath in hopes of not sobbing as tears rolled down your cheeks. The rain was coming down harder.

“It’s true, isn’t it?” You choked out. “I’m right?”

James’ eyes were darting between yours. Then, he slowly nodded.

You let out a single sob, taking another step back. The rainwater had mixed with your tears by now, leaving no difference between the two.

“Please, listen to me.” He let out, raising his hands up towards you, as if cautious.

“That’s what I was doing all this time.” You said. “And you lied to me.”

“Y/N-”

“Don’t say my name.” You interrupted him. “Don’t come near me. Don’t touch me. Don’t even think about me.” With every word, you kept stepping back.

“No. Y/N. Please just listen- where are you going?”

You gave him one last look, trying to show him every bit of hurt, anger and hatred you felt towards him.

“Anywhere that’s away from you.” Those were your last words, and then you were running, as far away as you could. Running away from a betrayal that hurt even worse than what your brothers and sisters had done to you. You were running away from the sinister entity you had always been taught to stay far far away from.

You were running away from what was possibly the only person you had not felt alone with in a very long time.

…………………..

The rain had all but drenched Bucky, and the new drops that fell made no difference on his now numb skin. He stared in the distance, knowing that if he squinted enough, he could see the tiny figure still walking away. He gritted his teeth, feeling angry and frustrated, but above all, Bucky was tired. He was so tired. He stared down at his feet, feeling his shoulders weigh down with an unbearable weight.

He didn’t know how she knew. He didn’t know how she found out. But she had, and now she hated his guts. This was playing out exactly how Bucky had feared it would. She was gone now. The only being in this universe that Bucky remotely cared about had left him.

Bucky laughed a little to himself, feeling a hot layer of tears pool in his eyes. Who was he kidding. He cared more than he had ever planned he would. He didn’t know how, because he had never felt this way before, it was so different yet it felt so good. He wanted to be around her all the time. And it had freaked him out until he had lost her.

Something warm was pressing against his leg, making him frown and placed a hand on his jeans. It was getting hotter, and Bucky put a hand in his pocket. He felt something narrow and smooth in his hand, like glass. Pulling it out, he squinted at the sudden brightness.

The small glass vial was glowing a bright white, and upon closer inspection, Bucky realized that its contents weren’t exactly fluid. They were moving, like white smoke swirling around the small space. The hot vial had settle its temperature on a luke warm, looking small and harmless in Bucky’s palm.

His eyes were wide, heart beating erratically in his chest. He knew exactly what this was.

Grace. This was Y/N’s grace. This was what he had been after all this time. And it was right there. Dropped into his hands.

Dropped into his hands.

Bucky choked up slightly, eyes wide as his head lifted up. The tiny figure was gone now, no matter how much he tried to look for it. His tears were now spilling from his eyes, warm against his cold and numb face. His hand trembled, and he had to close his fist around the vial to prevent it from dropping.

He was it. He was Y/N’s object of sentimental value. And he was holding what he had wanted right in his hands. He had it. It had taken him a while. It had emotionally scarred him a lot, but he had succeeded.

He had won.


	8. Chapter 8

There was a white square on the ground from where the streetlight poured in. Over the square, black shadows of the raindrops looked like insects. The rest of the space was dark, but you could make out the boxes piled high around you.

The wind made hard contact with the doors of the warehouse, making the metal sliding doors creak against the wooden walls. The whooshing sound was enough to make a haunted vibe move around the place. You shivered, and you couldn’t tell if it was because you were soaking wet and cold, or if it was because you were afraid.

You had lived a long, long life. For many millennia, you had existed as one of the most celestial beings in the universe. You had obeyed and you had delivered, you had worked because it was what you had loved to do. On your occasional trips to Earth, you would walk on the soil with your head held high, and a certain command in your step. Because you were an angel. You had what no being in this universe did.

You wondered now, sitting against a wooden crate with your legs pulled up to your chest, jumping at the disturbances outside due to the weather, where that confidence had gone. You wondered where the surety in your actions was now, where the surety in yourself was now. At this point, you just felt drained beyond repair, alone, and completely clueless about what to do next and where to go. After having purpose for so long, losing it seemed to snatch away your identity as well.

You hated this feeling. But it was the only feeling coursing through your body right now.

The door was still creaking, although this time, the creak was louder and less random. You looked up when lights from the street suddenly flooded into the warehouse, framing a silhouette that was all too familiar for you.

“How did you find me?” You managed to say. You watched as he walked inside and the door behind him slid back down by itself. The simple gesture that you had seen performed so many times in your life, had even performed yourself, made your chest tighten. It was another reminder of who he was. Of what he was.

He shrugged at your question, effectively answering it. Of course he knew where to find you. He was a demon.

He shuffled over to where you sat, but stopped a good few feet from you. Then, he sat down on the ground with his legs crossed under him.

He didn’t speak.

It was silent for a couple of moments. You watched him in the dim light, taking in the little bit of his features that you could see. His eyes were red and puffy, and you could tell he had been crying. For some reason, that fact made you angry. How dare he cry after completely destroying you with his betrayal?

“What do you want?” You asked, shifting under his watchful eyes as they bored into your own.

“I want to talk.” He said, voice slightly hoarse. “And I want you to listen.”

You scowled at him, feeling frustration bubble inside you. “I don’t want to listen.”

His face hardened, his scowl matching yours. “You angels are all the same. They refused to listen to you when you didn’t follow an order, and now you refuse to listen to me.”

You gritted your teeth. “I’m nothing like them, you bastard.” You spat.

He sighed at that, nodding and hanging his head. The hardness seemed to seep out of him as he slumped. “I know that.” He said, voice much lower. A sad smile took over his face.

“You’re nothing like them. You’re so much better.”

You didn’t speak. You could feel how stiff your body was, and you tried to not let his words get to you. You already knew how good he was at lying.

“My name is James Barnes. But everyone calls me Bucky.” He said, before letting out a little chuckle. “So no, I didn’t lie to you about my name.”

If you didn’t feel so angry and hurt, you would have rolled your eyes.

“When you walked into that pub, I immediately knew you were an angel. Your grace still somewhat lingered in you. I was confused. I had met my fair share of angels, but you didn’t feel like they did.”

“You came over to talk to me even though you knew I was an angel?” You spoke up. “Did you have a death wish?”

He laughed a little, fiddling with his fingers. “I’m a demon. I make stupid choices without thinking about them.”

You would never get used to hearing he was a demon, you were sure of that. So you didn’t reply. Instead, you just looked at him, wanting him to continue.

“I was curious about you. So I followed you. I overheard you praying. I put two and two together and realized you were a fallen angel that was looking for her grace. I hadn’t ever met a fallen angel. And I- I made a plan.”

He looked at you, a pleading look on his face, as if desperate to make you understand.

“I wasn’t thinking. Or maybe I was thinking too much. I didn’t know you then. I didn’t know what you had gone through. I just catered to my own needs.”

You felt tears make their way into your eyes, dreading the worst.

“I decided to befriend you until you found your grace. So that- so that I could take it.”

Your throat closed up with the effort to not sob. You didn’t know why the words didn’t hurt as much as you thought they would. Maybe it had something to do with how wrecked James- Bucky looked. Maybe it was because deep down, you were still in love with him.

“I went ahead with everything you did. I helped you try and find it, all with the intention to take it away when I had it.” His voice was breaking. “Until that day in the field. When I saw where you fell, when I heard why you fell, I couldn’t help what I felt. Heaven did you so wrong, Y/N.”

You buried your head in your knees at that, closing your eyes as tears fell.

“I thought you’d committed some serious treason. I didn’t know that you were innocent, that you were trying to save lives. I think, I think that was the night that really changed how I felt about you.”

You looked up at him, meeting his eyes. They were soft, and they reminded you painfully of that night. What had happened after you had gotten back. You remembered his touch, how he felt against your body.

It seemed like a lifetime ago.

“I wanted to stick to the plan. I didn’t want to abandon it just because my heart skipped whenever I looked at you. But the more it freaked me out and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the grace wasn’t worth it. I didn’t need it. I needed you.

I disappeared the next morning to get my head on straight, to try and figure out what I really wanted. Y/N,” Bucky shifted a little, as if he wanted to come closer to you. His eyes pleaded with your own. “You need to know that all this was as new for me as it was for you. I’ve never felt this way. And I didn’t think I could. I’ve known you for only a few months but you feel like the most important part of my life.”

“Stop.” You voice shook, eyes screwing shut. He was lying, he was lying. It had to be lies. He was a demon. You were an angel. Well, used to be. This couldn’t happen.

“I realized that I would rather have you in my life than your grace. And I came back with that thought in mind. I came back with the decision that I wouldn’t resist what I was feeling.”

He laughed a little then, but it was bitter.

“I came back only to find out that you knew. You knew what I was. I came back only to see hate and hurt in your eyes. And honestly, I didn’t expect anything different.” He was staring at the ground. “I’m filth compared to you. I could never have you. It has never happened and it can never happen. Fate doesn’t want it to be that way. And it was made even clearer to me after you left. It was made clear to me that you didn’t belong anywhere near me. You belonged in Heaven.”

Your eyebrows furrowed, unable to decipher where Bucky was going with this. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a narrow glass vial. You gasped when your eyes landed on the white light it emitted.

“You belong in Heaven.” He whispered. In the light of the grace, you watched two tears track down his face. “This was the final clue to seal it in. You can redeem yourself Y/N. Heaven wants you back.”

He placed the vial on the ground on its side, giving it a push. It rolled over to where you sat, stopping when it connected with your toes. You stared at it, tears shining in your own eyes.

“Congratulations.” Bucky whispered. “You can go home now.”

There was silence after that, as you stared at him and he stared at the ground. You couldn’t believe it. He….. he was giving you the grace?

Your trembling hand lifted the vial, feeling the warmth under your skin. Your heart was thumping fast, every nerve in your body buzzed. You knew your cells were reacting to being so close to your grace. They recognized it. You looked up at Bucky.

“Go ahead.” He whispered. “Go.”

You slowly stood up, staring at the vial. Then, you threw it to the ground, the glass smashing to pieces.

The white smoke hurled upwards, it’s glow radiating as it moved like a person of its own. You opened your mouth and closed your eyes, feeling it trickle down your throat. Your felt your veins heat up, felt your cells light up with energy as the grace embedded into every fibre of your body. Your whole being tensed up at the familiar feeling as it buzzed inside you. The pain in your back, dull but persistent up until this moment, diffused until it was gone, soft tendrils of magic weaving through your wings and fixing every wound you had suffered. You felt them break free, stretch out until they stood tall and proud from your back. You gasped once the incorporation was over, reeling with the effects of it on your body.

It was an overwhelming feeling. You wanted to cry at how you felt, like you had just entered your home again after being away for so long. The constant exhaustion your body felt seemed to completely dissipate. You were back to who you used to be. And you had never felt more at peace.

You blinked a few times to try and gather your emotions. Your eyes lifted to meet jet black ones. Bucky had stood up during the process. His body was rigid, eyes completely black. You knew it was the presence of an angel that was making him react. You stared into the black pools, trying to muster up the same hatred and disgust you had always felt for his kind.

You couldn’t.

He wasn’t just a demon to you anymore. He was James. He was Bucky. He was someone you had known so intimately, at a time when you were so vulnerable. Despite the grace that now encompassed your soul, you still felt every single emotion you had always felt for him.

You knew, in an instant, it didn’t matter if you were back to your full strength as an angel. You were different now. Your time on Earth had ingrained in you emotions and thoughts you just couldn’t get rid of.

Bucky’s lips curled up, only slightly, into what you figured was a smile.

“Goodbye, Y/N.” He choked out. And despite the black of his eyes, the evil it had always portrayed, you saw clear tears as they poured from them showing that there was more behind those eyes that just evil.

Then, he disappeared.


	9. Chapter 9

Five years later

 

Laughter broke out at a booth to Bucky’s right, men giving each other high fives at something that was apparently very hilarious. Bucky watched them for a second before turning back to his drink. He took a huge swig, scowling slightly when the glass emptied. When he looked up to order another, his eyes met big blue ones again. He ignored them and raised a hand to ask for another drink. The bartender didn’t question him. He nodded and got to making the drink he knew Bucky always ordered.

Bucky could still feel the stare on him, but he did nothing. He only hoped that the girl wouldn’t walk over to where he stood and start making a move. He was in no mood to fuck. His rolling eyes should have put that point across but apparently, she was stupid too.

The noise in the room and the music playing in it completely muffled the sound of the large glass door sliding open. But Bucky didn’t need the sound to notify him when the door opened. Because the minute it did, every muscle in his body tightened out of instinct.

It was her. He knew it. He felt it immediately. Even after so long without her, he could recognize her anywhere without even looking. It wasn’t just the fact that she was now an angel, and identifying angels was an ability that came with being a demon. No. It was her essence, her vibe. It was so characteristically her, it couldn’t be anyone else.

Bucky didn’t know what to feel. Why was she here? It had been over five years since he’d given her grace back to her. She should’ve been in Heaven, serving them as she was made to do. What was she doing here?

He didn’t turn around, he stared unblinkingly at his empty glass, feeling her move around the room. He gritted his teeth when she came closer to him, not knowing whether he could face her or not.

She sat down right next to him, raising her arm up to signal the bartender.

Bucky didn’t look at her, he kept fiddling with his own empty glass, wishing it was possible for him to get drunk so he could know how the fuck he was going to deal with this situation.

Two drinks were placed before them, one of which Y/N pushed towards him. He didn’t make a move to acknowledge it.

“You don’t have to be thirsty to drink.” She said.

Bucky nearly cracked a smile. Nearly. They were the exact words he had said to her on their first encounter, when Bucky had bought her a drink that confused her. He remembered how out of place she had felt then. How clueless she was to the way Earth worked. He had been so curious about her, and he had gotten so frustrated with her questions and protests. Funny how much had changed since then.

Now, Bucky could see the difference. It was like she was a whole different person. It was clear in the things she did, gestures that were subtle but made all the difference in the world. Her posture was straighter, her movements more sure. She didn’t glance around lost anymore. Her gaze was steadier, she was more confident. Everything about her demeanor told him she knew what she was doing, unlike the timid human girl he’d known before.

“Why are you here?” He said, still not looking at her. He was surprised that his voice hadn’t wavered or cracked. It eased him a bit. He could do this.

She sipped on her drink before placing it on the table and leaning her elbows on it. He could feel her gaze on him, but he remained as he was.

“I would like to talk, if that’s okay with you.” Her voice was softer, volume lower. Bucky gritted his teeth, thinking. She was undoubtedly much more powerful than he was. She could easily kill him with just one touch if she wanted. Most likely, she wanted revenge. So why was he not afraid? Why was he thinking that he should agree with this?

“Okay.” He said before he could think about it. This habit of his had gotten him into enough trouble already and he still didn’t do anything about it.

She slid off her stool smoothly, gesturing at him to follow. Breathing deep, Bucky did. They moved through the people towards the door and out of the bar, the cool air a contrast to the humidity inside. Bucky breathed deep to clear his head, but the minute his eyes finally met Y/N’s he felt his mind blank again.

She was just as beautiful as he remembered. But now, there was something much more serene about her. She seemed like she was at peace with who she was. Her hair that had always been a mess as far as Bucky remembered, tucked behind her ears and out of her face. It looked almost symbolic to Bucky, that she was not hiding behind it anymore.

“So how are things in Heaven? Are they still on your ass about what you did? Or does getting your grace back just reset everything to factory mode?” Bucky heard his voice as an octave higher than usual as he began to walk. He didn’t know what he was saying, he just hoped a whole bunch of crap hadn’t come out of his mouth and his sentences were at least coherent.

He felt her shrug as she fell in step with him. “I don’t know.”

He couldn’t help but look at her in confusion. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

She didn’t look back at him. She had a smile on her face, even though nothing about it was happy. “I haven’t been.”

Her words made Bucky stop walking, causing her to follow suit. “What?”

She didn’t reply. She just kept looking at him.

“You didn’t go back?” Bucky stepped closer to her, trying to search her face for any answer. “Why?”

“And leave you?” She retorted with a question of her own.

The wind seemed to be knocked out of Bucky’s chest when she spoke. His mouth dropped open. He felt something sting his eyes and he felt himself getting angry. He couldn’t believe he was about to cry. This was so unlike him.

Then again, he hadn’t really been himself the moment this angel had walked into his life.

“You did leave me.” He shot back, scowling at her. “Five years, Y/N. I never saw you once. You could have tracked me down. You have the power to do that now. What have you been doing?” He heard himself say.

She smiled again, and this time, it appeared genuine. “I might have found my grace, but I had yet to find myself, Bucky.”

Bucky inhaled deeply at the sound of his name, his actual name, from her lips.

“It was hard enough learning to be a human on Earth. It is even more difficult to be an angel on Earth.”

“Why didn’t you go back?” He asked, clenching his hands so he wouldn’t reach out for her. He yearned to touch her again. He yearned to feel her.

“You were right.” She replied, continuing to walk again. Bucky followed her. “They were never really my family. Heaven cares too much about maintaining order than to care about the workers that help them do so. I was just another worker for them. One they were happy to dispose of after a single mistake.”

There was a small silence as Y/N breathed. Bucky remained quiet, waiting for her to continue.

“The other angels have made it plenty clear how they feel about me, especially after everything I did on Earth as a human.” She glanced at him sideways, and Bucky understood what she meant. The angels knew about them. And for her to be intimate with a demon? Unforgivable in their eyes. Bucky had no doubt they looked at her now the way they looked at him always. And he was used to it. He couldn’t imagine what it felt like coming from someone you believed to be your kin.

“So why would I go back to a place where I don’t belong in any sense of the word?”

Bucky didn’t speak. He didn’t think he had anything to say after hearing her explanation. They walked in silence for a few minutes, the wind blowing softly against them. Bucky watched as her hair moved with it, he watched the smile on her face settle into something quietly satisfied. Something about seeing her so comfortable made Bucky’s insides ease. She was okay. After years of wondering how she was, he could see now that she was fine. More than fine, actually.

“I don’t have anything to say.” He admitted, staring down at his feet.

“Then don’t talk.” She replied. “I have discovered that it is often better to remain quiet than indulge in useless conversation meant to achieve nothing. If all is settled, let it stay as it is.”

Bucky smiled at the words, turning to look at her. “You don’t hate me?”

She smiled back at him, and Bucky felt like all the air in his chest had been punched out.

“Would I be here if I did?”

He shrugged, shuffling his feet. They had stopped in an empty parking lot, and Bucky couldn’t be bothered to see exactly where they were.

“Yes, if you wanted revenge.”

She shook her head, smiling wider. “I forgave you the moment you dropped my grace near my feet.” She whispered. She turned to face him, looking up so their gazes met.

“I came here with the hope that we could start over. If you’ll have me.”

Bucky’s eyes darted between hers, searching for any lie. Of course she wasn’t lying. She was an angel.

Bucky had fallen in love with an angel.

“I should be asking you that.” He said. “I don’t deserve you.”

She grinned then, big and bright. Bucky couldn’t help his own smile. “Funny, since most demons feel entitled to things that aren’t even theirs. You’re quite an exception, James.”

Bucky let out a little laugh at the name, feeling nostalgia creep upon him. He watched Y/N step closer to him.

“I’ll have you if you will have me. We’re both insecure messes. But let’s be insecure messes together.”

Bucky didn’t control his smile any longer. He let it break out over his face as his chest warmed. This was the happiest he’d felt in years. He leaned down, and his lips connected with hers.

It was different this time. Her energy seemed to creep all over him, lighting his nerves on fire. It was just as incredible as before, filling him with tingling sensations he had missed more than he would care to admit, moaning slightly at the feeling. Her hands held his jaw, running over his stubble and his own wrapped around her waist. Something brushed his arms as he kissed her, soft but firm. He smiled into her lips when it moved, blocking the streetlights and covering them in darkness. He pulled away to view them, soft white enveloping both their bodies. The wings moved as if an entity of their own. Bucky smiled softly at them, feeling the black creep into his eyes at the sight. He couldn’t help his innate response to being so close to an angel. But for the first time, it wasn’t a reaction born out of fear.

He felt lips press to his jaw, making him smile and look down at the treasure he held in his arms, kissing her again and knowing he could never get enough of her. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. He couldn’t believe that everything he had wished for had come back to him. And he’d be damned if he let it go.

He smiled against her lips at the thought, amused by the irony of it. Technically, he was already damned. He was a demon, after all.


	10. Epilogue

You hummed the tune that had been stuck in your head since you had heard it, running the brush through your wet hair to get the tangles out. Your hair smelled like strawberries thanks to the newest shampoo you’d picked out at the store. You inhaled it contentedly.

The door opening made you look up, eyes meeting pale blue ones in the mirror. You smiled at Bucky, and he returned it. You moved your wings lower, tucking them close together so you look behind you at Bucky as he shrugged his coat off and hung it on the stand next to the door.

Bucky groaned and stretched, raising his arms above his head. He sighed when his arms dropped back down. He moved towards the small corner kitchen in your tiny apartment, sticking his head into the fridge.

Your place was very small, but you were still proud of it because it was your own. Bucky had whined and protested like a baby when you suggested you both get jobs.

“I don’t see why we have to work.” He had said. “We can both live without food, and we don’t need sleep either.”

“I know that.” You had replied. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to live without a roof on my head and clothes on my body. We’re not savages, Buck.” You had kissed him deeply afterwards, running your hands over his chest. “I want to live with you. Really live. Not just pass the days by. Let’s try and live the human life, okay? If it doesn’t work, we’ll figure something else out.”

You had absolutely refused to let Bucky steal or use any other unfair means to get what he wanted. You had been forced to do that when you had first fallen to the land of humans. But this time, you didn’t want to live like that. He had been in a foul mood for a very long time during your early times together, when you were struggling to find somewhere to live. But he had slowly warmed up to the idea of working, considering he had no other choice. He managed to make his department store job fun, he was sarcastic and witty with the customers, who absolutely loved his fun but bordering on mean personality. Every now and then, he would steal something or bribe someone, but he stopped when he realized how much that affected you. It had been a hard journey of him trying to accommodate himself, but he was trying his best, and you couldn’t be more grateful.

“I want to be better.” He had said, late one night when you both decided to not sleep and just talk. You eyed him as he stared up at the ceiling, whispering to you. “I’ve lived a long life and I’ve done it in the worst way possible. I can already tell the right way is going to be a pain in the ass and everyone in Hell will hate me,” he turned to smile at you. “but I’m going to give it a shot for you.”

You watched him now as he chugged some beer while you still brushed your hair. He set the bottle down to walk over to you, wrapping you in his arms from behind. You smiled at him as he stepped back, hands tracing over your wings delicately. You shivered at the feeling, watching him smirk.

“I missed you today.” He said, pressing a kiss to the back of your neck. “I always miss you, so no news there.”

You giggled and turned around, planting a kiss on his lips. He placed a hand on the back of your neck, not letting you pull away. You smiled against his lips, kissing him long and slow.

“No talking. Only doing.” He mumbled against your lips when you tried to pull away again, tugging on the oversized shirt that covered your body. You laughed against his lips, retracting your wings as he pulled the T shirt off your body, leaving you bare to his eyes. He hummed as his lips met the skin of your neck, moving lower as he pulled you towards the bed.

You smiled and let him do what he wanted with you, quickly dissolving into moans and whimpers as he had his way with you throughout the night. It was a hard path that you two had taken, but it was one you had taken together. You would be there for him every step of the way, as he had been there for you. He had saved you once already, it was time you became his saving grace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoooo what a ride this series has been! I can’t thank you all enough for the support and love you showered this fic with, and I can’t wait to write another series very soon xx Thanks for sticking by and happy reading!


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